Pimento coring machine



Sept. 1949- w. N. BUCKNER 2,482,837

PIMENTO CORING MACHINE Filed March 7, 1945 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

WW/0m 7V. Buck/zen ATIY'ORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,4sas7 I PIMENTO CORING MACHINE William N. Buckner, San Diego, Calif., assignor to Old Mission Packing Corporation, Ltd., San

Diego, Calif., a corporation of Nevada 7 Application March 7, 1945, Serial No. 581,443

8 Claims. (01. 146 -52) My invention relates to a pimento coring machine, particularly adapted for use in. connection with the preparation of pimentos for food and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a machine of this class particularly adapted for use in coring large quantities of pimentos within a given length of time;

Second, to provide a pimento COl'll'lg machine of this class in which the core of the pimento is entirely removed from the shell of the pimento without undesirable damage thereof;

Third, to provide a pimento coring machine of this class which is very easy to Operate and requires a minimum amount of help in proportion to the volume of production accomplished by said machine;

Fourth, to provide a pimento coringmachine of this class having a continuously moving. conveyor carrying a constant stream of pimentos through the coring operation attaining a very high production rate in the preparation of the pimentos;

Fifth, to provide a pimento coring machine of this class having an end cutofi" knife and coring knockout teeth which perform very uniform operations on successive pimentos passing through my pimento coring machine;

Sixth, to provide a pimento coring machine of this class in which the percentage of loss is reduced to the extreme minimum;

Seventh, to provide a pimento coring machine of this class which is so constructed that it may be fed by a number of operators when desired in order to produce great quantities of cored pimentos in a short length of time; and

Eighth, to provide a pimento coring machine of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, eflicient in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in View as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon forming part of this application in which:

' Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my pimento coring machine; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top or plan view taken from the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and Fig; 4 is a sectional View taken from the line 44 of Fig. 1.

- 2 Similar characters of reference refer tOSll'IIr ilar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings:

The frame I, motor 2, conveyor belts 3 and 4,

conveyor pulleys 5, 6, I and 8, shafts 9, Ill, II, I2,

I3, I4, I5 and I5, conveyor belt guides I7 and I8, knockout mandrel I9, sprocket 20, cutoff knife 2|, conveyor feed belts 22 and 23, pulleys 24, 25, 26, 21, 28, 29, 3t, 3| and 32 and the bevel gears 33, 34, 35 and 36 constitute the principalparts and portions of my pimento coring machine.

The frame I, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is made of angle iron or other suitable structural material but may be made of various forms as desired by casting or other means of fabrication. V

The motor 2 is mounted on the base member 2a which is a flat plate-like member and this motor 2 is provided with a high speed shaft 2b on one end and a low speed shaft 20 on its opposite end driven by a reduction gear train in the housing of the motor 2.

The pulley 29 on the low speed shaft 20 drives the belt 290:. in engagement with the pulley 30 on the shaft I6. This shaft. I6 is journalled in the brackets I to and IBb rigidly connected to the frame I.

Positioned on the shaft I 6 are the gears 33 and 34 which are bevelled gears meshin with the bevelled gears 35 and 36 which drive the shafts 9 and I0 on the upper end of which are fixed the conveyor pulleys 5 and G. Positioned around these pulleys 5 and 6 are the belts 4 and '3 respectively which are endless belts and pass over the conveyor pulleys 8 and I on the shafts II and I2 stationarily journalled in connection with the frame 'I by means of the bearings I2a and I2b, as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Connected to the high speed shaft 2b of the motor 2 are the pulleys 21 and 28. The pulley 2'! is engaged by the belt 21a which drives the pulley 3| in connection with the shaft l3 on the upper end of which is fixed the circular cutoff knife 2|. The shaft I3 is rigidly journalled in (connection with a frame I by means of the bearings I3a and I3b.

Engaging the pulley 28 is the belt 28a which passes over the pulley 26 and drives the shaft I5 together with the pulley 25 engaged by the belt 25a which revolves the knockout mandrel I9. This knockout mandrel I9 is rigidly connected to the angular frame member la on one side of the frame I, as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The knockout mandrel I9 is arranged to revolve'at high speed and is provided with ra-v dially extending knockout fingers I90; and Nb which traverse a circular path substantially tangent to the plane of the conveyor belts 3 and 4 and somewhat above the cutoff plane of the cutoff knife 2|, all as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The shaft 14 is driven by auxiliary means, not shown and'is arranged to revolve inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 of the drawings carrying with it the pulley 32 and the belt 22 in connection therewith. Also carried on the shaft I l is the sprocket 2B which engages theconveyor feed belt 23. This conveyor feed belt 23 is provided with upwardly extending. clips Zea-arranged to engage the pimentos B asshown. inFig: I of the drawings and advance them towar'dthe conveyor belts 3 and 4. The conveyortbelts and 43. as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing areprovided with outwardly extending pins 3a and do between which the pimentos are engaged, as shown best in Figs. land 3 ofithe drawings.

.It will beherenotedthat theconveyor belt guides I? and 58 converge toward the location .ofthe knockout mandrel 9 and maintain the conveyor belts 3 and 4' inconverging spaced relation to each other for squeezing the pimentos therebetween andi rigidly holding the same while passing: over the cutoff knife 2i and the knockout mandrel Hi.

The conveyorfeed belts 22. and 23 maybe extended any distance desired providing the desired area upon which workers may place pimentos and sort the same. The conveyor feed belt-22 carries the pimentos towardthe fenceiia'and the. pimentos are sorted during passage and-placed on the conveyor feed belt 23.

The .operationof mypiinento: coring machine and method for preparing pimentos is: substantially as follows:

The pimentos areifirstheateid until in a pliable condition. They are then placed on'the conveyor feed belt 22 which passes as indicated by arrow in Fig.2 of the drawing carryingthern toward the fenceQE'a. Duringpassageathesepimentos are sortedxand placed onithe conveyor'ifeed belt 2.3 which directs: them. toward and intermediate the conveyor belts 3 and t. The clips 23a advance the: pimentos. into. position intermediate the conveyor belts 3.and.4 where they aresqueezed between thev pins 3a and 4a, of the; conveyor belts 3. and 4' and are carried: toward the revolving.:circular cutoff knife2 I. which shaves off'the bottom portion of the pimento at the: stern end-exposing the core at the lower: end: of the: pimento. As the conveyor belts 3- and advancetowar-d the knockout mandrel [9, the conveyor belt guides I"! and i8 force the conveyor belts 3 and! to: converge squeezing the pimento tightlybetween the: pins 3a-and' la; when the pimentos advance to the position of the knockout mandrel 19;. This knockout. mandrel 1! 9 revolving at high speed is encountered by the pimento andthe finger portions lea pass through the skirt .of the pimento and. contact the core therein whereupon thecore is knocked out'of the lower open-'side-of the pimento shell. The piinento then advances. intermediate the conveyor belts 3: and i toward thes'rollers l. and 3 -where it is deliveredtoa washing'ma'chine which is no part-of my present invention.

The herein described method employedin the preparation of pimentos for food-embraces the heat I treatment of the pimentos before they are runwthrough my pimento= coring. machine. This heat treatment is quite important in& order.- 1 to 4 attain a pliable condition of the pimento before it is squeezed between the conveyor belts 3 and 4 and contacted by the cutoif knife 2| and the teeth of the knockout mandrel l9a.

Fresh pimentos in the normal crisp condition tend to crack and break up when contacted by the pins 3a and 4a of the conveyor belts 3 and 4 andi'are sometimes badly broken by the action of the fingers I9aof the knockout mandrel l9. Therefore these pimentos must be heat treated until in the pliable condition previous to the coring operation in my pimento coring machine.

' Though I have shown and described a particular oonstr-uction, combination and arrangement of parts and-portions and a certain method, I do not wishto be limited to the particular construction, combination and arrangement, nor to the particular method, but desire to include in the scope'of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement and the method substantially as set: forth. in the appended claims.

.Havingthus described my invention, what I claimaas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.. In a. pin-lento coring machine, a pair ofsubstantially parallel belts having opposed extending pins protruding. into the space intermediate said belt,a revolving circular cutofi knife positioned near the lower side of said belts andcommunicatdirectly belowthe spacebetween said conveyor belts arranged tov cutoff: ends oi-pimentos extending below the edges of said belts, a. revolving knockout mandrel having radially extending'fingers positioned in spaced relation to said circular cutofff knife and positioned to' engage the lower portion of pimentos between said beltswith said radially extendingfingers and' means for revolving said knife and said mandrel.

-2; The herein described method for: coring pimentosconsisting in heating the. pimentos'until inrapliablecondition, thencutting-off the stem end of said pimentos, and then strikingandpulling. the end-of the'core of said-pimentos downwandly while holding the cut end down; whereby they are knocked out of said out end-without un'desirabledamage to the pliable structure of the pimento.

3-.. In a ,pimentocoring machine, a pair of spaced conveyerrbelts, having opposed runs, and having their sidesfacing, each other movingain synchronous substantiallyparallel spaced relation toeachother, a revolving circular knife disposed below and on a plane at right angles to-the-sides of said:belts.,,having itscutting "edge in'close proximity to the adjacent lower edgesof said conveyer'belts, and a revolving knockout mandrel operating on an'axis-at right angles to the-sides of said belts andhaving-radially extending fingers alignediintermediate said. conveyer belts, andin C1656." proximity to the .loweredges thereof; "said mandneld-ownstream from said-knife, arranged toknockout pimento cores-after the knife cuts the endstherefrom.

4. In a pimento coring machine, a pair of spaced conveyerbelts, having opposed runs-and having their sides facing eachother -movingin synchronous substantially parallel spaced relation to eachother,, a revolving; circular knife disposed below and .ona plane at right angles. to the sides of said belts-,having itscutting edgein-close proximity to the adjacent lower edges 0t saidconveyer belts, and arevolving knockoutmandrel operating on. an axis at right angles tothersides; of. said belts and. having radially extendingxfingers aligned intermediate said conveyer belts; anddni close proximity to the lower edges thereof, said mandrel downstream from said knife, arranged to knock .out pimento cores after the knife cuts the ends therefrom, said conveyer belts being endless belts, and substantially horizontal pulleys engageable with said belts.

5. In a pimento coring machine, a pair of spaced conveyer belts, having opposed runs, and having their sides facing each other moving in synchronous substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, a revolving circular knife disposed below and on a plane at right angles to the sides of said belts, having its cutting edge in close proximity to the adjacent lower edges of said conveyer belts, and a revolving knockout mandrel operating on an axis at right angles to the sides of said belts and having radially extending fingers aligned intermediate said conveyer belts, and in close proximity to the lower edges thereof, said mandrel downstream from said knife, arranged to knock out pimento cores after the knife cuts the ends therefrom, and a pair of conveyer belt guides, tending to hold said conveyer belts in spaced relation toward each other.

6. In a pimento coring machine, a pair of spaced conveyer belts, having opposed runs, and having their sides facing each other moving in synchronous substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, a revolving circular knife disposed below and on a plane at right angles to the sides of said belts, having its cutting edge in close proximity to the adjacent lower edges of said conveyer belts, and a revolving knockout mandrel operating on an axis at right angles to the sides of said belts and having radially extending fingers aligned intermediate said conveyer belts, and in close proximity to the lower edges thereof, said mandrel downstream from said knife, arranged to knock out pimento cores after the knife cuts the ends therefrom, said conveyer belts having protruding pins extending in opposed relation to each .other engageable with pimentos passing therebetween.

7. In a pimento coring machine of the class described, a conveyer feed belt having clips thereon engageable with pimentos, a pair of spaced conveyer belts having opposed runs and operating in substantially parallel relation to each other, having fiat sides facing each other, and at right angles to the plane of said conveyer feed belt at opposite sides of said conveyer feed belt, whereby pimentos are transferred from said conveyer feed belt to an intermediate position between said conveyer belts, a revolving circular cut-off knife on a plane at right angles to the sides of said conveyer belts, and below the edges thereof, positioned near adjacent edges of said conveyer belts, and a revolving knockout mandrel having widely spaced radially extending fingers engageable with pimentos intermediate said conveyer belts, and positioned below said belts downstream from said knife, for knocking cores out of said pimentos after the ends thereof are cut off by said knife.

8. In a pimento coring machine of the class described, a conveyer feed belt havingclips thereon engageable with pimentos, a pair of spaced conveyer'belts having opposed runs and operating in substantially parallel relation to each other, having flat sides facing each other, and at right angles to the plane of said conveyer feed belt at opposite sides of said conveyer feed belt, whereby pimentos are transferred from said conveyer feed belt to an intermediate position between said conveyer belts, a revolving circular cut-01f knife on a plane at right angles to the sides of said conveyer belts, and below the edges thereof, positioned near adjacent edges of said conveyer belts, and a revolving knockout mandrel having widely spaced radially extending fingers engageable with pimentos intermediate said conveyer belts, and positioned below said belts downstream from said knife, for knocking cores out of said pimentos after the ends thereof are out off by said knife, and conveyer belt guides tending to hold said conveyer belts together in converging relation to each other near said knockout mandrel.

WILLIAM N. BUCKNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,438,467 Walden Dec. 12, 1922 1,449,610 Kloster et al Mar. 27, 1923 1,699,951 Christiansen et al. Jan. 22, 1929 1,775,918 Smith Sept. 16, 1930 1,890,676 Fox Dec. 13, 1932 2,299,137 Geren et a1. Oct. 20, 1942 

